THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
We took for a study tlie other day the face of 
a beautiful society belle. The first thought Is, 
“ Uow exquisite! A joy forever!" Then you are 
a little weary and at last turn away, as you would 
from a repast on sugar. The plain people may 
rejoice, for they are as necessary to the attract- 
lveuess of ft company as the beautiful. It Is a 
comfort tx> meet the “ nobodles." They are so 
simple, unaffected, and demand no admiration or 
attention at your hands. 
The evening receptions at Secretary Ex-arts’ 
have been very enjoyable. The last took place 
on Thursday evening. The whole house was 
thrown open, and all the world was there. The 
ladles’ toilettes, however wonderful they were, 
at first had small chance of display, for the 
crowd; hut Mr. Bvauts himself never looked so 
well as when playing the part, of generous host. 
His face was smiling and happy, rejoicing to give 
so much pleasure, speaker Randall and wife 
were the center of attraction In one part of the 
room; In another, Mr. and Mrs. Yosuida, the 
Japanese Minister and his pretty wife, Secrotaiy 
Cakt. Scrum/ and Ids Interesting daughters; 
while Mrs, Evarts and her daughters were al¬ 
ways the agreeable hostesses. There are a few 
parties still to come, hut none can be more pleas¬ 
ant than this one has been. 
Seal-skin Fur.— In killing the seals much care 
Is used. The Instrument of destruction Is a long 
club of hard wood, with which the animals are 
struck a violent, blow on the head. One is usual¬ 
ly sufficient. A loug, sharp kulfo is then thrust 
Into the vitals, and t.ho carcass laid aside; and so 
on until about one thousand have been slain, 
when the work of skinning commences. When 
taken off, the skins are salted, and sent home In 
that condition. On arrival here they are properly 
cured; aud then comes the preparation needed 
for their conversion Into what Is popularly called 
“ seal-skin.” It Is difficult to conceive how that 
beautiful article of dreas can ever be manufac¬ 
tured out of the very unattractive object the 
skin presents at this juncture. It Is as hard aud 
unyielding as a board, and the atilt, coarse hairs 
cover the fur so completely that Its very existence 
might be unsuspected. How to separate the fur 
la a problem. For many years each Individual 
hair was plucked out separately, at, of course, a 
vast expenditure of time and money, until a 
lucky accident revealed to the dressers that the 
roots of the hair were more deeply seated than 
those of the fur. Now, therefore, after the pre¬ 
liminary preparation, the skins are laid hair 
downwards upon a wooden block with a curved 
surface, and pared down with a kulfe until the 
roots of the hairs have been cut through, and the 
sklu Is very little thicker than a kid-glove. All 
the coarser hair can then be brushed off with the 
hand, leaving the fur, which la then seen to he 
arranged In small curls, of a light-brown color, 
varying slightly In shado lu the different parts. 
In consequence, nearly all ” scal-skln " is dyed be¬ 
fore It is sold, and lu the process of dyeing the 
curls untwist themselves, aud the fur becomes 
smooth and ready for use. 
LIGHTNING-CONDUCTORS. 
Franklin meant the Ughtning-eoDductors which 
he invented to consist of iron alone. Iron, how¬ 
ever, has too strong an affinity for oxygen to al¬ 
low of this. All moisture, and all heat, oorrode 
It more or less ; and tffus grew up the custom or 
pointing the conductors w 1th copper, and In some 
cases with costly platinum, soldered to the Iron 
rod. But exposure to weather, and the weak 
galvanic currents which unavoidably set in where 
metal of one sort Is In contact with metal of an 
other sort, cause rapid decomposition at the 
Joint, and enoouruge the rust to eat Into the sub¬ 
stance ot tne rod. A heavy flash will melt or 
cripple a conductor thus imperfect, and then woe 
to the structure l This defect can now be cured 
by coating the Iron rod completely with nickel, 
a metal which defies rust, and which conducts 
electricity better t han the pure Iron does. Bars 
and rods of this nlckcltzed Iron have been kept 
under water for several days without tarnishing, 
and resist the effects of tire most powerful bat 
tery of Leyden Jars. 
It had been believed, until lately, that plat inum 
was a metal with which no rogue, however 
dexterous, could tamper. The platinum coinage 
of tho Russia ot thirty years since was con¬ 
sidered inimitable by the manufacturers of false 
money; while the capsules, crucibles, and other 
apparatus required by scientific men were sold 
according to the high market value of what Is 
really a precious metal. Unluckily, fraud has 
been lound possible even lu this case. The 
Director of the Royal Italian observatory’ on 
Vesuvius, M. de Luca, surprised at finding first 
one and then anot her of the platinum points of 
hl3 conductors melted by the effect of lightning, 
made a careful Investigation, and d'seovered 
that the platinum had been adulterated with 
from ten to twelve per cent, of lead, and thus 
rendered fdslble. Platinum thus mixed with an 
inferior metal can bo Identified by its lesser 
density, or more easily by tho blowpipe, before 
which a tell-tale green name will reveal the 
presence of the lead. Such a mixture would 
render the hitherto resisting platinum abso¬ 
lutely worthless lu the laboratory .—Chambers 
Journal. 
I hate that man worse than poison that offers 
to run away when he should light and lay stoutly 
about him. Is It not better and more honorable 
to perish In lighting valiantly, than to live In dis¬ 
grace by cowardly running away ? 
Jur Mo men, 
[CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
LOST. 
A HOUBEiionn darliux, but four years old. 
And the night Is falling dark and cold. 
“ Lost 1” is the auKutshed mother's cry. 
With ashen ltp, but. tearless eye. 
There Is gathering now from cot and hall. 
The hills resound with halloo and call. 
Seeking, for tender Morey's sake. 
The lost, through wood, aud swamp, and brake. 
A shot rings out. on the wintry air— 
A sound that.'answers the mother's prayer: 
Another! another ! lu salvos ring. 
As home in triumph the lost they brim?. 
Close-clasped in her father’s arms she lies. 
Faint and weary, with half-closed eyes. 
" O Papa 1 I’se tired!” Now closer pressed, 
She hath fallen asleep on her father’s breast. 
Lost 1 A woman yet young In years. 
But old in sorrow, and pain, and tears; 
Lost through her trust, and truth, and love: 
O God! that these should devils prove. 
Dragging her down to sin and shame, 
To a blighted life and a tainted name. 
Proud woman's scorn, man's ribald Jest. 
Mock the breaking heart and tho aching breast. 
There are none who seek the lost one now. 
No hand to soot bc the throbbing brow: 
On a cold stone step, In the chill night-air, 
She lies half-hid by her golden hair. 
Tho pale lips mutter-blue eyes are dazed, 
As if on a brighter world they gazed— 
"Dear Lord, I’m weary—give me thy rest!” 
She, hath fallen asleep on t he Father's breast. 
Aye, Madam, gather your dainty skirt, 
Uncontaminate by this human dirt: 
Hers was a crime may no pardon win; 
’Twas love—and love like hers is sin. 
A smile and a blUBh for the profligate— 
For thy sister-woman, scorn and hate; 
Hunt for her as beagles hunt their prey, 
Tiil the grave hath hid her shame away. 
O “ humble shepherd" in silken gown, 
" Meek," with supercilious frown, 
The charge the Master hade thee keep 
Was, “ If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep," 
A Magdalen hath perished here, 
With clay.eold cheek and frozen tear. 
At the shepherd’s gate a dead lamb lies. 
Shaming a Pagan sacrifice. 
[A. II. Howe, in Chicago Tribune. 
LETTERS FROM A COUNTRY GIRL. 
MAROAKET B. HARVEY. 
I shall begin this second letter by correcting 
an error In the first. Tbe printer, or perhaps my 
own penmanship, made me speak of a mixture of 
linseed oil and timber ; the word is umber. 
Say that you have followed out to the best of 
your ability the few suggestions given. Then 
you find your house In a fair way towards becom¬ 
ing a cheerful, bright, pretty, refined home. And 
this is what you wont. "Live while you live," is 
a good maxim, as well as an old one when ap¬ 
plied In Its higher meanings. That Is, remember 
that our homes, and the opportunities. Interests 
and affections of our homes, are the highest and 
best earthly objects for which we can work and 
from which we should derive our most constant 
and lastlug enjoyments. Think ot this every 
mother, the center of a home. Try with all your 
might to make It to all Its Inmates, the most com¬ 
fortable, the most beautiful, the most beloved 
spot on the face of tho earth. So keep continually 
In view the aim with which you started out. 
Whether you have or have not purchased house 
and home papers, read and study all Intelligent 
suggestions that come In your way on the subject 
of home decoration. You cannot adopt all of 
them—you may, perhaps, none of them—but they 
can scarcely fall to quicken your Inventive fac¬ 
ulty and put you In the way of creating some¬ 
thing pretty very often. So here you may be 
safely left for the present. The next hook sug¬ 
gested was, “The Schoolmaster’s Trunk," by 
Mrs. Diaz. In this admirable volume we have, In 
a very small compass, many vivid pictures of life 
as it Is too often found In some country districts, 
the hard work, the narrow sphere, the unattrac¬ 
tive homes, the Ignorant conversation, together 
with high enconiums on woman’s wonderful exe¬ 
cutive ability, which rightly directed, would rev¬ 
olutionize all, This hook you bought for the ex¬ 
press purpose of lending to your neighbors around, 
as It contains so much, and your Idea Is to elevate 
tho tone ot the neighborhood as well as that of 
your own house. Remarking that here Is a good 
book which, though a little personal, contains 
many valuable hints, quietly hand It to any one 
who, as you find on Inquiry, hasn’t It, aud as you 
continue to do so, you cannot fall to do good. 
The chief polut dwelt on, 1 think, and which I 
want to consider, Is the duty of dividing the time 
so that the least Important affairs of a household 
i shall take the least part aud thought, leaving as 
wide a margin as possible for rest, culture and 
higher duties. This Is reasonable. As I said be¬ 
fore In substance, the minor details of living- 
such as eating, sleeping, and dressing—with the 
necessary work occasioned by them, are but 
means toward living Itself—tho foundations of a 
temple. So all tho opportunity and energy di¬ 
verted from unnecessary care about the lower, 
may profitably be glvon to the higher living. Re¬ 
member, that the effects of tho former will pass 
away, tho effects ot the latter never will. Having 
accepted this fully yourself, and Influenced some 
of tbe neighbors to do likewise, you have made 
considerable progress toward tho end for which 
you are striving—the elevation of your home aud 
the surrounding community. 
Keep the book In circulation till it is worn out. t 
By that time tho people generally wiu understand i 
your new departure, like your improvements, and < 
be ready to carry on the good work for them¬ 
selves. And don't be surprised if some, catching 
at your suggestions, rush ahead ot you and hit 
upon and put into execution some pet plan of 
your own, even before you nave it fully matured. 
But never mind. In thinking of the common good, 
you can well be content to sacrifice a little pri¬ 
vate Inclination. 
Country people have their faults—their chief 
one Is closeness—but they are always sociable. 
When a claim Is made upon their hospitality, 
they are generous. When distress calls them, 
they are heroic. But wheu a common Interest 
presses upon all, where else than In the country 
can we find such warm sympathy, such real 
union, such earnest endeavor ? Aud all these and 
more, will show themselves sooner or later, as 
this same purpose Inspires the neighborhood. 
Slowly but surely, all will want to help, and in¬ 
sensibly the tone of ordinary conversation will 
rise. At the gatherings the difference will be no¬ 
ticeable. Less will be said about private con¬ 
cerns, more about the new order of things, this 
Improving continually, as the order Itself Im¬ 
proves. 
So much for the second book. The botany I 
recommend because 1 believe every woman living 
in the country, or anywhere else, ought to know 
something about objects so dear to her. The 
effects of even a little conscientious study of this 
beautiful science will soon be seen In more taste¬ 
ful, enjoyable gardens, more natural floral decor¬ 
ations, and more llfe-Uke flower-pictures as well 
as enlarging tho capacity to appreciate intelli¬ 
gently,’' the diversified attractions of field and 
wood and meadow. And when tho club Is 
formed <1 will tell you about It presently), the 
herbariums, the fresh flowers and plants, the 
conversation of the members regarding them, 
will form some of its chief attractions. 
Of the cyclopcudla I will say that you will con¬ 
stantly need It la your general reading. Go to it 
every day of your life. Every name, or place, 
or object, or circumstances mentioned in your 
hearing. In the newspapers. In any book, even to 
your Bible, refer to carefully. Do this a little 
while and you will wonder how you did without 
it so long. And you will need It the more as time 
goes on and your scheme progresses. 
I have now briefly sketched out a plan which 1 
hope to elaborate more In detail, for Improving 
your home, for Influencing your neighbors to do 
the same with theirs, and for creating a com¬ 
munity of Interest and feeling of oneness regard¬ 
ing personal and general culture. With these 
few books In the hands ol' a woman having will 
and a true desire for growth, no ono can foresee 
what wonders may not be accomplished. 
DIVORCE. 
MRS. POTIl’HAR. 
Tiie apathy with which the general public re¬ 
gards the Increasing facilities for “ shuttling off 
the coll" matrimonial, aud the avidity with which 
large numbers aval! themselves of these faculties, 
can only be accounted for on the ground that peo¬ 
ple do not realize how widespread Is the desire to 
make the marriage tie less binding. Ills no tmger 
counted as disgraceful for a husband and w u* to 
seek redress tor real or fane ed wrongs In a di¬ 
vorce court; on the contrary, It is considered an 
evidence of emancipation from tyrannous custom 
—progression, in short. After all that has been 
written and preached on the great noed there Is 
ot maintaining the purity and the sacredness of 
the marriage relation, It seems almost superflu¬ 
ous to even advert to It; but people seem not to 
be alive to the danger there is to the family and 
the State In tampering with the laws regulating 
marriage. Women especlaUy should rouse them¬ 
selves to combat, with all their energies, the 
loosening of marital ties; for where marriage is 
held la light repute, there woman Is dishonored. 
Marriage Is not, as many apparently regard it, 
a holiday experiment; Ills a life-long contract 
which, when once entered Into, can be dissolved 
only by death. “Whom God hath Joined to¬ 
gether, let no man put asunder," has become a 
dead let ter. Hardly has the officiating priest pro¬ 
nounced these words of solemn command, before 
one of the couple finds the other to be •• not con¬ 
genial,” and forthwith a divorce drama Is enacted 
with the usual washtng-of-solled-Unen accesso¬ 
ries. A decree grants the coveted freedom, and 
the two who swore “ to be and to have for better 
or for worse,” lightly break their vows, and go 
their separate ways. 
There is one unpardonable sin-marital, which 
one would be lacking In dignity to conloue; but 
even la the most aggravated cases, would not a 
separation vindicate one’s honor quite as effec¬ 
tually as a divorce t Then the wrong ot a re-mar¬ 
riage would he avoided. What right have di¬ 
vorced couples to marry ? .Vo no. In the eyes of 
tho law, it may be Justifiable, but morally it Is 
criminal. 
lu the divorce court of to-day the flimsiest pleas 
—such as " lncorupatablllty ot temper” and other 
sentimentalities of that class—are admitted as 
good and adequate reasons for repudiating sol¬ 
emn obligations voluntarily assumed. What a 
picture It gives of the average morality of a peo¬ 
ple when such pretexts as the foregoing are per¬ 
mitted, without a protest, to bo registered as suf¬ 
ficient to absolve couples from the performance 
ot their duty. The fact that one’s life partner 
falls to fulfill our Ideal, or that unlovely charac¬ 
teristics develop In him, affects the matter not 
at all. If during the courtship we allowed our 
affections to blind our Judgment, the fault Is ours. 
and tbe only honorable course for us to pursue is 
to philosophically accept the situation, and bear 
our burden of disappointed hopes with what grace 
we can. 
Divorce should be abolished. It Is Inimical to 
the best. Interests of the family and of society, It 
puts a premium ou Immorality, and it behooves 
the lovers of virtue to Insist on Its total abolition. 
Many estimable people, while regarding divorce 
with disfavor, still hold that It is the duty of a 
couple to separate so soon as the love between 
husband and wife has ceased to exist. They 
maintain that It is little short of desecration for 
people to lire together when the ardor of their 
youthful affection has abated. Besides being sin¬ 
ful, this Is absurd. It Is absolutely Impossible for 
people to maintain their emotions at the high 
pressure of youthful rhapsodies; and. In fact, It 
13 not at all desirable that they should, after all. 
Thrills, sighs, tears, and moonshine are inconve¬ 
nient for steady matrimonial experience. 
Love Is largely a matter of volition—romanclsts 
to the contrary notwithstanding—and most mar¬ 
ried people can (if they only will make the en¬ 
deavor) retain for one another a strong regard, 
and it Is certainly worth the effort. 
No right-minded person wilt gainsay that it Is 
preferable to marry for love; but It Is a most per¬ 
nicious doctrine to advance, that a change of sen¬ 
timent is sufficient to justify our refusing to fulfill 
solemn obligations. 
Human nature Is, on the whole, not given to 
constancy, and It requires strong public opinion 
and not a little coercion, to keep many people 
faithful. Even with the best of us, there are times 
when thoughts of " might have been ” obtrude 
themselves, and wheu perhaps a. fall face or an 
attractive manner causes a momentary thrill; 
and whereas now we crush back such memories 
and emotions as dishonoring to our better na¬ 
tures, If loose rein Is to be given to sentiment, and 
emotion set up as the sole basis and limit of mar¬ 
riage, will not the tendency be to encourage a 
longing for affinities, congenial spirits, and a dis¬ 
taste for whatever tends to " cabin or coniine" 
sentimental aspirations ? 
Think of the misery a universal application of 
such Ideas would bring upon society! It would 
alienate parents and children, break up the home 
circle, bring upon us social anarchy; Oneida Com- 
munltyism would be the next step, and the final 
one, perdition. Those who are Interested in the 
cause of good morals, or who care for the well¬ 
being of the nation, would do well to zealously 
guard iho sac red ness and the permanency of the 
marriage relation. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
W ill tbe lady, who sent me a sum of money to 
purchase some material for stamping, please send 
her address on a postal card, naming sum sent to 
avoid mistakes. The letter has been mislaid. 
Faith Ripley. 
Minnie Palmer.—F lower hats are still worn 
and their popularity Is likely to continue through 
the season. 
Mrs. L. B., CornwaB, N. Y.—Summer silks come 
as low as G5c„ but they are suitable only for sec¬ 
ond-best. For “dress”occasions, the expensive 
Imported grenadines will bo popular during the 
coming season. 
Jennie Lee.—B ead-trimming abounds on para¬ 
sols, wraps, mittens—in fact, everything Is head¬ 
ed, so that you need have no fear that your bead¬ 
ed jacket will be out of style. 
L. W. C.—India shawls are fashionable. Should 
you desire Information as to price and quality, I 
shall be happy to furnish the same. 
(Many answers to inquiries have been crowded 
out for want of space.— Ed. 
The newspapers arc fond of telling stories 
about the cowardice which women are alleged to 
show In the presence of a mouse. A severe mas¬ 
culine censor once declared that the most grave 
and wise gathering of women, for the most im¬ 
portant and serious purpose, could be utterly 
thrown off Its balance by the lotting loose ot a 
mouse lu the room. That was men’s theory. 
Here is fact“ While a Judge was holding court 
at Van Wert, O.. a few days ago, a mouse took 
advantage of his preoccupation and climbed up 
Inside his pantaloons. The attorneys and atten¬ 
dants became aware of the situation when the 
Judge suddenly gave a jump, clapped htshand to 
his legs and stamped ou the Boor. The Sheriff 
rushed to the rescue, and the spectators rose In 
their seats, not knowing what was about to hap¬ 
pen. Tbe Judge whispered to the Sheriff, a law¬ 
yer shook the Intruder out, and In the general 
confusion that eusued, the mouse escaped.” Fan¬ 
cy the howl of derision that would have gone 
up from ” the superior sex,” if t his had happened 
in a court presided over by a woman 1 
The Christian Intelligencer announces, with 
apparent despair, that “ ladles who do not know 
how to bake bread are learning how to bak > teir i- 
cotta ornaments.” This Is shocking ! but It may 
also be recorded that gentlemen who do not 
know how to smoke a ham are learning to smoke 
cigars and meerschaums, all over the country, and 
have been doing so ever since It was settled. 
Whither are we drifting ? 
Wherever desirable superfluities are imported 
Industry Is excited and thereby plenty Is pro¬ 
duced. Were only necessaries permitted to be 
purchased, men would work no more than was 
necessary for that purpose.—Fra n Klin. 
